The Cross in the Fire: My Unexpected Journey in Finding a New Identity in Christ
“Islam was my whole life. I was a devout Muslim who prayed five times a day and fasted regularly, especially during Ramadan and on other Islamic holy days.”
Shapoor Ahmadi speaks softly, yet confidently when recounting his life in his native country of Iran. The 34-year old civil engineer carefully articulates the importance of religion in his life, in particular— Islam — and how it defined his identity and the identities of other Muslims like him in a country known as an Islamic Republic. But that “identity” was eventually challenged in 2007, when Shapoor found himself leaving Iran due to political reasons and finding a new home in the United Kingdom as an asylum seeker.
“Suddenly, I didn’t have an identity anymore,” he says. “I wondered why God allowed this situation to happen to me. I didn’t speak good English; I didn’t have any family around me. I was away from everything that I had known and felt completely alone.”
The sense of isolation, despair and loneliness led Shapoor on a downhill spiral. “I started drinking and smoking, but the depression only got worse,” he says. “But around that time, I also met some Christians, who invited me to church, which I agreed to go only because I figured I had nothing to lose. I was alone. The company and friendship was something I welcomed.” And it was at church where Shapoor began to hear about Jesus in a way that was different from what he had been taught as a Muslim.
“I read the Bible and experienced the love of Jesus through Christians and saw the joy and happiness in their lives,” he says. “That’s something I didn’t see a lot of in Islam.”
But that observation alone was not enough to convince Shapoor of Jesus’ Lordship.
“You have to remember that Islam was my life. So it was a struggle to grasp anything different from that teaching when you have followed that faith for as many years as I did. I remember feeling so conflicted,” he says.
That struggle reached a turning point during a Christmas party that Shapoor remembers all too clearly.
“I went to the party just to have a good time with my friends; there was no intention of getting into deep conversations about spiritual matters,” he says. “But when we started praying, I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit overtake me. I started to cry. I didn’t want to and especially didn’t want people to see me, but I couldn’t help it — I just couldn’t stop crying. And even though the emotions were so great, I still wasn’t ready to accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I just asked the people around me to pray for me. That’s all.”
And they did pray. And in the next few months Shapoor found himself even more conflicted than before.
“I’d wake up in the morning and would try to smoke and drink, but just couldn’t. I felt Jesus coming to me.” It was at that time, Shapoor realized he needed to do his own “research” on Jesus. “You could say I was living a dual life,” he says. “I was reading the Bible and the Quran at the same time. I was going to church and the mosque.”
But it was during this “research” period that Shapoor saw God in a new light. “I didn’t have to be perfect or clean to come to Jesus — I could just come to Him as I am, whereas in Islam, you have to “clean yourself” before prayers. Also, I loved the verse that talked about ‘loving your enemies.’ You would not see such as a command in the Quran.”
The friendships and fellowships at church and his personal time spent on reading and comparing the Bible to the Quran were all important steps in leading Shapoor on a new journey, but it was a “dream” that solidified his beliefs in Jesus as his Lord and Savior.
“I had this dream that I was in a coffin and then saw a cross surrounded in fire, and a light pushed me towards the cross. Then, all the questions I had regarding Jesus, the Bible and God were answered in this dream. The next morning, I prayed and accepted Christ in my life.”
Shapoor’s life has never been the same.
“I may have still had my challenges, but I wasn’t depressed anymore. My new identity was in God and I didn’t feel fear.”
Today, Shapoor is leading others like him to see the saving and loving grace of a God who loves them. But the calling hasn’t been easy. “Many friends didn’t believe me at first, some even left me and didn’t want to be friends anymore.” But that hasn’t stopped Shapoor, who continues to share the “good news” with others in his Middle Eastern culture and community.
As for his homeland, Iran, Shapoor believes God is actively working in the hearts of many there. According to some missiologists, Iran is experiencing one of the fastest growing church movements in the world. Shapoor says, he’s not surprised by the assertion and credits the phenomena on “two” particular factors.
“People have experienced Islam and it’s done nothing to benefit their lives. For the past 37 years since the Islamic Revolution happened in Iran, there’s been more divorces, drug addiction and other problems. This forces Iranians to ask themselves, if God is for us [through this religion] then why are these problems happening to us. They are looking for answers; answers that Islam can’t provide. Also, people are hearing the testimonies of those who have come to Christ; they’re seeing the difference and peace that Jesus can make in their lives.” This is giving them hope, and as a result, they’re more willing to give Jesus a try.”
Shapoor goes as far as calling the Iranian government as the “John the Baptist” of Iran, saying it will be the force that will “make the way” for Christ in Iran.
Shapoor is also confident that Muslims in Europe will also hear the truth about Jesus, and believes that although tragic and unfortunate circumstances may have led many of them to this continent, God will use the experience to reveal Himself to them while here. “In Europe, there’s a freedom to hear and learn about Jesus that many of these refugees and immigrants wouldn’t have in their native lands due to persecution against anyone who considers leaving Islam. But in order for this to happen, people have to share Christ. Radical behavior only grows in places where there’s no light. So if there’s no light, there’s only darkness.”
But what about the moderate Muslims? They don’t seem to be in darkness. After all, London just elected its first Muslim mayor (elected in May 2016) who appears to have a moderate approach to religion.
Shapoor’s response is that sharing Christ to Muslims is not really so much about Muslims as it is about Islam. “Jesus loves Muslims. It’s their religion that’s causing the problems we’re seeing; not the people. So whether it’s a moderate Muslim or a terrorist, they’re both looking at the same book —the Quran—for guidance in their lives.”
Shapoor’s passion in sharing the love of Jesus to Muslims in the United Kingdom is already seeing fruit. In the last two years, he’s led two entire families to the saving knowledge of Christ.
“It’s all about God and what He’s doing. Jesus is the ‘Light of the world.’ I know how the story will end because of what the Bible says. I have confidence in that, but until then, as believers in Christ, we have to share His love to those who are in the dark— moderate and radical alike. That’s what Jesus commands us to do. Yes, there is darkness, but never forget— light has power over darkness. I am living proof of that.”
Please watch Shapoor's testimonial video below:
“Islam was my whole life. I was a devout Muslim who prayed five times a day and fasted regularly, especially during Ramadan and on other Islamic holy days.”
Shapoor Ahmadi speaks softly, yet confidently when recounting his life in his native country of Iran. The 34-year old civil engineer carefully articulates the importance of religion in his life, in particular— Islam — and how it defined his identity and the identities of other Muslims like him in a country known as an Islamic Republic. But that “identity” was eventually challenged in 2007, when Shapoor found himself leaving Iran due to political reasons and finding a new home in the United Kingdom as an asylum seeker.
“Suddenly, I didn’t have an identity anymore,” he says. “I wondered why God allowed this situation to happen to me. I didn’t speak good English; I didn’t have any family around me. I was away from everything that I had known and felt completely alone.”
The sense of isolation, despair and loneliness led Shapoor on a downhill spiral. “I started drinking and smoking, but the depression only got worse,” he says. “But around that time, I also met some Christians, who invited me to church, which I agreed to go only because I figured I had nothing to lose. I was alone. The company and friendship was something I welcomed.” And it was at church where Shapoor began to hear about Jesus in a way that was different from what he had been taught as a Muslim.
“I read the Bible and experienced the love of Jesus through Christians and saw the joy and happiness in their lives,” he says. “That’s something I didn’t see a lot of in Islam.”
But that observation alone was not enough to convince Shapoor of Jesus’ Lordship.
“You have to remember that Islam was my life. So it was a struggle to grasp anything different from that teaching when you have followed that faith for as many years as I did. I remember feeling so conflicted,” he says.
That struggle reached a turning point during a Christmas party that Shapoor remembers all too clearly.
“I went to the party just to have a good time with my friends; there was no intention of getting into deep conversations about spiritual matters,” he says. “But when we started praying, I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit overtake me. I started to cry. I didn’t want to and especially didn’t want people to see me, but I couldn’t help it — I just couldn’t stop crying. And even though the emotions were so great, I still wasn’t ready to accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I just asked the people around me to pray for me. That’s all.”
And they did pray. And in the next few months Shapoor found himself even more conflicted than before.
“I’d wake up in the morning and would try to smoke and drink, but just couldn’t. I felt Jesus coming to me.” It was at that time, Shapoor realized he needed to do his own “research” on Jesus. “You could say I was living a dual life,” he says. “I was reading the Bible and the Quran at the same time. I was going to church and the mosque.”
But it was during this “research” period that Shapoor saw God in a new light. “I didn’t have to be perfect or clean to come to Jesus — I could just come to Him as I am, whereas in Islam, you have to “clean yourself” before prayers. Also, I loved the verse that talked about ‘loving your enemies.’ You would not see such as a command in the Quran.”
The friendships and fellowships at church and his personal time spent on reading and comparing the Bible to the Quran were all important steps in leading Shapoor on a new journey, but it was a “dream” that solidified his beliefs in Jesus as his Lord and Savior.
“I had this dream that I was in a coffin and then saw a cross surrounded in fire, and a light pushed me towards the cross. Then, all the questions I had regarding Jesus, the Bible and God were answered in this dream. The next morning, I prayed and accepted Christ in my life.”
Shapoor’s life has never been the same.
“I may have still had my challenges, but I wasn’t depressed anymore. My new identity was in God and I didn’t feel fear.”
Today, Shapoor is leading others like him to see the saving and loving grace of a God who loves them. But the calling hasn’t been easy. “Many friends didn’t believe me at first, some even left me and didn’t want to be friends anymore.” But that hasn’t stopped Shapoor, who continues to share the “good news” with others in his Middle Eastern culture and community.
As for his homeland, Iran, Shapoor believes God is actively working in the hearts of many there. According to some missiologists, Iran is experiencing one of the fastest growing church movements in the world. Shapoor says, he’s not surprised by the assertion and credits the phenomena on “two” particular factors.
“People have experienced Islam and it’s done nothing to benefit their lives. For the past 37 years since the Islamic Revolution happened in Iran, there’s been more divorces, drug addiction and other problems. This forces Iranians to ask themselves, if God is for us [through this religion] then why are these problems happening to us. They are looking for answers; answers that Islam can’t provide. Also, people are hearing the testimonies of those who have come to Christ; they’re seeing the difference and peace that Jesus can make in their lives.” This is giving them hope, and as a result, they’re more willing to give Jesus a try.”
Shapoor goes as far as calling the Iranian government as the “John the Baptist” of Iran, saying it will be the force that will “make the way” for Christ in Iran.
Shapoor is also confident that Muslims in Europe will also hear the truth about Jesus, and believes that although tragic and unfortunate circumstances may have led many of them to this continent, God will use the experience to reveal Himself to them while here. “In Europe, there’s a freedom to hear and learn about Jesus that many of these refugees and immigrants wouldn’t have in their native lands due to persecution against anyone who considers leaving Islam. But in order for this to happen, people have to share Christ. Radical behavior only grows in places where there’s no light. So if there’s no light, there’s only darkness.”
But what about the moderate Muslims? They don’t seem to be in darkness. After all, London just elected its first Muslim mayor (elected in May 2016) who appears to have a moderate approach to religion.
Shapoor’s response is that sharing Christ to Muslims is not really so much about Muslims as it is about Islam. “Jesus loves Muslims. It’s their religion that’s causing the problems we’re seeing; not the people. So whether it’s a moderate Muslim or a terrorist, they’re both looking at the same book —the Quran—for guidance in their lives.”
Shapoor’s passion in sharing the love of Jesus to Muslims in the United Kingdom is already seeing fruit. In the last two years, he’s led two entire families to the saving knowledge of Christ.
“It’s all about God and what He’s doing. Jesus is the ‘Light of the world.’ I know how the story will end because of what the Bible says. I have confidence in that, but until then, as believers in Christ, we have to share His love to those who are in the dark— moderate and radical alike. That’s what Jesus commands us to do. Yes, there is darkness, but never forget— light has power over darkness. I am living proof of that.”
Please watch Shapoor's testimonial video below: